Lunardi's Latest Projections (3/12 @ 630 ET)
Check back with ESPN.com later for Lunardi's latest bracket. For now, here's a preview:
TOP SEEDS
East: Ohio State
Southwest: Kansas
Southeast: Notre Dame
West: Pittsburgh
*Next In Line: Duke
CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
Big East (11)
Big Ten (7)
Big 12 (6)
ACC (5)
SEC (4)
Pac-10 (4)
Atlantic 10 (3)
Mountain West (3)
Colonial (2)
West Coast (2)
LAST BYES (avoid First Four games in Dayton)
Michigan State
Illinois
Clemson
Saint Mary's
LAST FOUR IN
Colorado
Penn State
Virginia Tech
USC
FIRST FOUR OUT
Boston College
Alabama
Georgia
UAB
NEXT OUT
Harvard
Missouri State
Seven for the Big Ten?
Michigan, michigan state, ohio state, illinois, wisconsin, purdue, penn state.
Ah yeah, I forgot aboit Illinois. But does PSU stay in the last four in with a loss tomorrow?
but if both Utah State and Richmond lose PSU would be sweating.
says this doesn't stop people from freaking out about whether PSU's win knocks us out of the tourney.
I think a lot of the fear in the past week or so, especially in my case, has been more a product of not expecting things to go well for us.
Over the past 5 or so years it seems like a lot of things have gone wrong for us. Even if it seems that they shouldn't.
I'm afraid of bad luck.
But logic tells me its all good.
Hoping for a 10 seed!
the last 10 or first 11. I think I'd rather have the 11 given who the 2 seeds and 6 seeds are.
11 or 12 please.
I'm still having trouble figuring out why anyone would think that. How could a win from a single team that we were 8-10 spots ahead of all of a sudden have people ready to jump of a cliff? That's not too mention we beat this same team 2x!!
I guess people just want something to worry about...
being Michigan fans, we follow the Big 10 way closer than any other conference. And the Big 10 is the only conference where all the bubble teams are really making a huge push, so that -- combined with the few notable upsets that are actually happening -- is giving people a false sense that bubble teams are going nuts. People just aren't noticing Clemson and Va Tech and Bama getting killed, let alone teams like Georgia collapsing.
Nice post! Great point, I think we're more than safe.
FWIW, the Bracket Project's matrix was last updated at 5:38 pm, and Michigan is included in all 85 brackets. I believe that's the first time we've been in every one. I had checked earlier today, and there were still three brackets with Michigan out.
March 12th, 2011 at 10:27 PM ^
The Matrix has us up to a 10 seed now. Previously, we were an #11, but now are the last #10. According to the Matrix, that would pit us against Georgetown, the first #6. I know that the Matrix isn't an actual field and doesn't use the committee's S-curve, but I think we'd matchup well against the Hoyas.
March 12th, 2011 at 10:28 PM ^
If we're the last #10, shouldn't we go up against the first #7?
OMG WERE NOT IN!!!! PSU'S WIN KNOCKED US OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/s
I loled. Apparently the internet is serious business.
March 12th, 2011 at 10:18 PM ^
Internet? Singular?
The selection committee doesn't like to wait until after the last games, and Penn State beating Wiscy for a second time and MSU for a second time is enough to warrant the Nittany Lions' inclusion.
Michigan is in and so are the Illini and Spartans (barely).
The committee really can't wait for the conclusion of the BTT final in order to get their picks in time for the 6pm selection show. Because the BTT final begins at 3:30, there is just not enough time for them to factor in all the ramifications after the fact. So, sometimes the seeding of B1G teams in the final seem a little off -- I seem to remember one year that Wisconsin ended up with a 5 or 6 seed when it seemed pretty obvious they were at least 4-seed material.
Oh, and why does the B1G choose to have their championship game so late in the game? One word: money.
I don't think that's exactly true. What they've said they have done in the past is basically have two sets of brackets, one for if team a wins, one for a team b win. Once the Big Ten Final is over, they go with the bracket for that winner. CBS gets the brackets about 15-20 minutes before the Selection Show airs - there's enough time to grab the correct bracket and hand it over.
March 12th, 2011 at 10:35 PM ^
Well, it sounds like you know what you're talking about, so I'll defer to you and say that I'm wrong.
I did look real quick, though, and found the scenario I was talking about. In 2004, Wisconsin won the BTT and ended up 24-6 overall. That record, from a team that won a major conference tournament should elicit better than a 6 seed, don't you think?
March 13th, 2011 at 12:50 AM ^
So who is his last #6 seed? That would be our opponent.
Looks like the X-Men of Xavier.... holy crap U-Dub at the buzzer.
I like our chances against the men of X.
I guess Texas A&M. I just hope Vandy doesn't slip so we don't have to play them. The one year Michigan and Vandy both get into the tournament, I don't want to have them playing each other.
March 12th, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
LAST BYES (avoid First Four games in Dayton)
Michigan
Michigan State
Colorado
Penn State
LAST FOUR IN
Saint Mary's
Clemson
Virginia Tech
USC
FIRST FOUR OUT
Alabama
Georgia
Boston College
UAB
NEXT OUT
Harvard
Missouri State
VCU
And bid-thief Boise State down 24-14 to Utah State w/ 8 min to go in 1st half.
Michigan as the 6 seed in D.C. please...like to keep my attendance streak at M NCAA games alive, and this might be the only locale to do that at....
man I'm having an off-day
Yeah i would take xavier for sure.